Toaster



Augv12,1941. P. s. EDMUNDS 'Em 2,251,925

TOASTER Filed June 29, 1939 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'roAs'rER Phillip s. 'Edmunds and Na M. Becker,

' Chicago, lll.

Application June 29, 1939, Serial No. 281,942 2 claims. (ci. 1er-16) This invention relates to toasters, and more particularly to automatic electric toasters provided with' a novel timing device.

An object of the present invention is to 'promaterial being toasted is locked in toasting position for a predetermined time' interval and in which a manual release is also provided for the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a n ovel timing device `for toasters and the like.

Other objects and advantages o f the invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof shown in the attached drawings, of which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a toaster in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a planview of the toaster;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

.Figure 4 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section with the carrier in released position;

Figure 6 is a vertical section of Va modiiied form of timing device; and

Figure? is a vertical section of a still further modiiied form of timing device. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the toaster includes a casingl I0 provided with heating elements ,a toast carrier |2, a timing device showngenerally at I3, and an electric\ switch I4. The toast carrier |2 is -shown as being pivoted at I5 and has a toast carrying portion .IE an a forward portion I1 provided with a handle I8. y

The toast carrier |2 is positioned in a slot I9 in the casing I0 of the toaster and occupies the position shown in Figure 4 during toasting. `The toast 'carrier l2 is urged toward the position shown in Figure-5 by a. spring 20. A latch member 2| is pivoted at 22 to a bracket 23 carried by the casing Ill and engages a detent member y'24 forming part of the toast carrier .I2 to retain clearly shown in Figure 3, and has a portion 33 the toast carrier in toasting position vshown in Figure 4. A spring -25 urges the latch member I5 to locking position shown in Figure 4. The latch member 2| may be manually released by pulling a handle 26 connected tothe upper portion of the latch member 2| in order to rock the latch member 2| clockwise in Figure 4 so as to release the toast carrier I2.

The timing mechanism includes a cup member 21 also carried by the bracket 23, which cup member is closed by a ilexible diaphragm 28 connectedl at its center to a vertically extending slidable member 29. The slidable member extends through an aperture 30 in the bracket 2 3 and is urged upwardly by a compression spring 3| surrounding the slidable member. The lower end of the spring 3| engages the bracket 23 and the upper end of the spring engages a stop member 32 secured to the slidable member 29. The slidable member 29 is bentv laterally, as most extending outwardly through a slot 34 in the casing I0 .and terminates in a handle 35. The handle 35 may be provided with an Vindicating point 36 adjacent a scale 31 on the exterior surl face of the casing Ill.

As shown in Figure 4, the cup member 21 is provided with an extending duct member 38 having aduct 39 communicating with the interior of the cup member. The duct member 38 also is provided with a throttling screw 40 which, as is apparent from Figure 4, can be employed to vary the opening 4| between the duct `39 and the atmosphere. Depressing the handle,35 of the slidable member 29 depres'ses the iiexible diaphragm 28 into the position shownin Figure 4 so as tov force air out of the cup member through the duct 39. The spring 3| then returns the slidable member 29 upwardly at a rate determined by the setting of the screw 40 until it reaches its upper position Ishown in Figure 5. A

The latch member 2| is provided with a triggerportion 42 which ispositioned to be engaged by a member I3 carried by the lower end of the slidable mem r 29l adjacent the diaphragm A28. Upward move -ent of the member I3 rocks'the latch memberl 2| about its pivot 22 tov release` the toast carrier |2. The member 43 may /comprise a cclamping memberjfor the diaphragm 28 which, in conjunction with a lower clamping member 4I,

secures the diaphragm 28 to the slidable mem'- Figure 5.' The switch I4 may be carried by a bracket member 45 and may be provided with an. operating lever 46 urged by a compression spring 41 into the oi position. The compression spring 41 may have its upper end engaging the` lower portion of the operating lever 46 and its lower end engaging an extending portion 48 of the bracket 45. The toast carrier maybe-provided with a projecting portion 49, n'iost clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, which engagesV the: upper surface of the operating lever 46 of the switch I4 to move the same into the on position when the Atoast carrier is moved to toasting position. 'I'he details of the electricl switch are not shown, as any of the well known quick-acting switch structures now available may be employed.

aaai-,eas

A The spring then moves rthe toast carrier from the position shown in Figure 4 to the'positionshown in Figure 5, to enable thetoasted material to be removed from the toaster. Movement of the toast carrier also allows the switch operating spring 41 to move the operating level' ofthe switch from on to off position, shown in Figure 5. The toast carrier may be released at. any time prior to automatic release by the timing, device by pulling the -handle 46 connect to. the latch member 2|.

It is evident thatthe extent of depression of the handle of the slidable member 29 will predetermine the toasting time before automatic 'I'he switch I4 may connect and disconnect all of the toasting element II to the source of electric power through conductors 59 or may connect and the toasting element warm during non-toasting periods when the toaster is connected to the source of electric power but raises the toasting element to toasting temperature when the toast carrier is in toasting position. 'I'he precise' electrical connections within the toaster are not shown, as such connections are within the skill of the art.

To operate the-toaster, it is rst connected to a suitable source of electric power through the conductors 50. VThe various elements of the toaster would beinlthe position shown in Figure 5, inwhich the toastcarrier I2 is in released position, the slidable `member 29 in its upper position, and the switch operating lever 46 in its oi position. A slice of bread orother material to be toasted would then be inserted in the toast release.. That is, partial depression of the handle 35 provide a lesser time of toasting than full depression. By referencetothe scale 31. the operator may provide any desired -time of toasting..

Figure: 6 shows one form of all metaltiming element and includes a metal bellows 5| made of thin sheet metal land having its upper portion connected to a slidable member 52 corresponding to the slidable member 29 of Figures 1 to 5. The lower portion of the metal bellows 5| has secured thereto a duct member 53 provided with 'a duct 54 communicating with the interior of the heat from the toasting elements tends to damcarrierv I2, thel handle 35 of the slidable member the spring 25 for the latch member-23 will cause this member to latch the toast carrier in toasting position. Depression of the slidable member 29 forces air out of the cup member 21 and, upon release of the slidable member, the spring 3|' advances the slidable member 29 upwardly to draw air into the cup member 21. The duct 39 connecting the cup member with the atmosphere is throttled by the adjusting screw 4I) so that the slidable member 29 moves upwardly at a predetermined rate. The adjusting screw 40 is ordinarily employed to axust the rate of movement of the slidable member 29 at the factory or during servicing of the toaster as the time of toasting is ordinarily determined by the amount of depression of the handle 35 of the slidable member 29. l

Movement of the toast carrier into toasting position moves the operating lever .460i thel switch 4I into o position by engagement of the member 49 carried by the toast carrier I2 with the operating lever 46. This brings the heating element I I to toasting temperature.

When the slidable member 29 reaches its uppermost position, shown in Figure 5, the member 43 engages the trigger portion 42 of the latch member 2l to release the toast carrier.

age or age a flexible diaphragm made of fabric, rubber, leather or the like, such as the diaphragm 28 of Figures 1 to 5, the ilexible metal bellows of Figure 6 may be employed and combined with the toaster mechanism in a manner similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5.

The timing element'of Figure 7 may also be combined with a toaster structure in a similar manner and has the advantage of providing a greater range of movement of the slidable mem-- ber 56 which also correspondsto the slidable member 29 of Figures 1 to 5. The device of Figure 7 includes an upper conical shaped flexible metal member 51 having a plurality of annular corrugations of progressively larger diameter and a similar lower flexible member 59. The exi ble metal members 51 and 59 have their peripheries securedtogether in airtight relationship, for example, by. soldering or brazing. The lower flexible metal member also has secured thereto a duct member 53 provided with a duct 54 and an adjusting screw 55.

1 operation such that distortion and failure of lubrication rapidly renders pneumatic timers having such relatively slidable surface inaccurate, and the same is true of most' timing devices such as those employing clockwork. The timing devices of the present invention, particularly those employing metallic exible members, are not materially aiected by changing temperatures and relatively high temperatures such that continued accurate operation is provided.

While We have described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is understood that the details thereof may be varied in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

vWe claim:

1. In a toaster, lthe combination of: a movable toast carrier, means for urging said carrier toward non-toasting position, means for locking said carrier in t'oastingposition, meansffor'releasing said carrier including a movable member, resilient means for moving said movable member toward releasing position, means for retarding movement of said movable member including a exible metallic bellows forming a variable vol- Y ume chamber connected to said movable member,l and means for moving said movable member` from releasing position to change the volume of said chamber, said chamber having restricted communication with the atmosphere whereby movement of said movable member toward re'- leasing position is retarded.

2. In a. toaster, the combination of: a movable toast carrier, means for urging said carrier toward non-toasting position, means for locking said carrier in toasting position, means for releasing said carrer including a movable member, means for moving said movable member toward releasing position, means for retarding movement lof said movable member including a pair of conical shaped iiexible metallic member having cor- PHILLIP s. EDM'UNDS. vNED M BECKER. 

